Award-winning dramatic actor Satoshi Tsumabuki will join forces with Hikari Mitsushima, Eita, Tasuku Emoto and Shuhei Nomura in the upcoming drama “Wakamonotachi” (The Youngsters). The five stars will play siblings who lost their parents early in their childhood, and together they struggle to live – with several emotional clashes due to their different dreams and aspirations. These emotional confrontations and their various relationships will be the focus of the drama first aired in 1966.

Tsumabuki and Mitsushima were in the award-winning movie Villain (Akunin), which won for Tsumabuki, the Best Actor trophy at the Japan Academy Prize back in 2011. Mitsushima was also in the award-winning drama Soredemo, Ikite Yuku, this time with Eita as the leading man. In essence, we have three of the best dramatic actors working in Japan together in this drama which will also commemorate FujiTV’s 55th anniversary.

The show is reported to be ready for broadcast this coming July. Also in the show are Yu Aoi and Ai Hashimoto, Yu Aoi also figured prominently with Tsumabuki in Tokyo Family.

I have never been so excited with a drama before. Just imagine the acting these stars will offer as they try to portray brothers and sisters in a dysfunctional family setting.

According to The Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama Since 1953, it was the character played by Hikari Mitsushima who played the leading figure in the show. But this may be altered and updated to reflect current Japanese issues and may provide Tsumabuki and Eita with more dramatic scenes.

If you’re familiar with the current Japanese drama scene, Eita has been grabbing acting awards left and right and is currently one of the most sought-after dramatic actors in Japanese television. Tsumabuki concentrated his efforts in full-length movies, and this will be his latest drama after Tenchijin, the 48th NHK Taiga drama shown in 2009.

Mitsushima is, of course, the lead in the critically acclaimed Woman. Shuhei Nomura is one of the most promising young Japanese actors today and is currently playing a vital role in the popular Haruma Miura drama The Hours of my Life.